Top 40 NHL prospects

[Jason MacIsaac]

North Dakota had an off year in 2002 after losing 4 of it's top 5 scorers and their #1 goalie. Prior to the 2001/02 season, they were one of the best teams in NCAA hockey, finishing in the top 4 from 1996/97 to 2000/01. So Parise definately wasn't coming to an average program... it's not like he carried the program on his back and led them to the NCAA tournament.

http://www.uscho.com/stats/teamYxY.php?team=80&gender=m

My point isn't that Parise isn't a great player... the point is that you say Parise is a better leader then Steen because most great leaders in the NHL are North American (like Zach). Then you say he's a better leader because his team's win... again, it's not like he's playing for average programs... he led Team USA to the Gold. It was a team effort, Alvaro Montoya had as much to do with that Gold medal as Zach Parise... if not more. Though I know your next post is going to include "Team USA won because of Parise"... and that's really not true considering Parise had 1 assist and 3 shots in the two most important games of the tournament... he was also a non factor against the Finnish squad dispite his 1 assist on Werner's goal (which Werner scored all by himself, carrying it over the blue line and firing it by Toivonen). Dominant players show up for key games... he was far from dominant in those games, and that is why he's overrated. Parise is considered a "can't miss" prospect... which is balogna. He's small and doesn't have the physical capabilities to compete against a Finnish team, nevermind men.

Parise created the play....he stripped the player SH and made the pass to werner who finished the goal.

I didn't say Parise was a better leader just because he is NA....I said both are good leaders in their respected areas but If I had to choose I would take a good leader in NA over a good leader in europe....you are just trying to twist my words.

I could care less about the leadership thing....the fact is you said Steen should be much higher (he is at #4) and Parise is extreamly overated and shouldn't be in top 5. You are saying there that Steen is the better prospect....say you were wrong and Parise is better then Steen then I will leave this thread.

 

[montreal]

Im sorry but talent level doesnt translate to good NHL player. Over the years there have been many players, who have been much less talented than others and gone on to be excellent NHL players while others superbly skilled have sucked or not even made the grade. To say Parise will put up 70-80 points and Steen 50-60 is a joke, you cannot tell until they are in the NHL. That is why it is an opinion, and Montreal's list may eventually prove correct, who knows? All I know is that talent and pure skill are not everything.

That's a great point. I did overlook hard work, and went on talent alone. Maybe talented players can't do it in the NHL cause they aren't used to the high level of hard work that they have to put in and endure. While others who go about unnoticed but continue to work hard at every level, end up surprising everyone with what they can do on the ice. If I were doing this list in say '00 or '01 and I put Michael Ryder in my top 30, I would be laughed at to no end, as he wasn't showing anything great, but continued to get better at each level and work hard. But it's hard to say what players will be able to do that, cause it's a rare amount that have the ability and get a chance.

I tried to find some players that weren't as hyped that I have seen that showed something good. Guys like Jurcina, Moyzakin, Zakharov, Perezhogin, Slater, Lynch, Carle I don't hear talked about much but I've been impressed with them every time I see them and think they could turn out to be very good players in a few years. I could be dead wrong on all of them. Maybe all 40 guys never do anything in the NHL, oh well, at the time I think they are the best, but I did miss a few and Phaneuf I think is the best drafted prospect not in the NHL due to his impressive all round game. But I don't understand why I've gotten so much grief over named Kastsitsyn my #1, as the kid is freaking great to watch. Tons of skill, just needs a lot of work in his defensive and netural zone play.

 

[montreal]

That was mid-season, and he only played 2 games.

Not a bad list though . I like Suter at 6, although I still believe he is better than Phaneuf

Yea but the list was supposed to be no NHL games, don't know how I forgot that Higgins and Plekanec played 2 games each. Shishkanov would be in the top 10 if you don't count his 2 nhl games. Fun player to watch, having a great year.

Suter I like a lot. Very solid in his own end, and plays a good physical game. His game against Merrimack was a good one. He mixed it up with some kid from Merrimack, and was making fun of him while they sat in the box, as he was busting on Merrimack as a school, it was on CSTV earier this season, funny stuff. I'd say the difference between Suter and Phaneuf isn't much. Both are excellent prospects/defensemen.

 

[montreal]

Where's Lukas Krajicek, he's at least top 35 on all other lists.

No prospects that played in the NHL this year. I messed up and forgot Higgins and Plekanec played 2 games each, and I never knew Doug Lynch played 1 game. I think that's it. If I included prospects that have played in the nhl the list we be a lot different.

 

[TehDoak]

Again, where's Paille? Probably the best two way forward and hardest worker in the CHL....and not on the list.

 

[montreal]

Again, where's Paille? Probably the best two way forward and hardest worker in the CHL....and not on the list.

forgot him, my bad.

 

[leafaholix*]

I didn't say Parise was a better leader just because he is NA....I said both are good leaders in their respected areas but If I had to choose I would take a good leader in NA over a good leader in europe....you are just trying to twist my words.

You did?

I don't recall you saying anything positive about Steen...

"Parise is a better playmaker/scorer, better defensivly (allthough Steen is good), better leader. Heck Parise is just an allround better player... Parise has 1st line center, 70-80 point potential playing good two way hockey. Steen 50-60 two way 2nd line forward."​

... all you say is that Parise is better then Steen in every single category.

I could care less about the leadership thing....the fact is you said Steen should be much higher (he is at #4) and Parise is extreamly overated and shouldn't be in top 5.

I honestly didn't mean he should be higher on that list... I meant that I'd be tempted to rank Steen, Mirnov, Perezhogin, and Grigorenko higher on my list... if I were to make one. I wouldn't rank them all higher then Parise, but higher then where most people expect them to be.

You are saying there that Steen is the better prospect...

I actually have not said he was the better of the two... not once in this thread have I said he's the better of the two. But personally, I would take Steen over Parise... he's a more complete player. Another reason being because he's playing against men... in a man's league, and he's already a star. Steen's also a potential candidate for a roster spot on the Swedish 2004 World Championship team.

... say you were wrong and Parise is better then Steen then I will leave this thread.

I've already said that Parise may be a better offensive player then Steen... a better scoring forward, but I feel Alexander Steen is a more complete player... and he's a safe prospect, so it's not really a concern whether or not he'll make the NHL, because he will.

EDIT: I don't want you to leave this thread... if you choose to, that's fine. This is what we call a conversation, if you are about to explode and flame me because I would rather have Steen then the all mighty Parise, then leave... I'm not being confrontational, just stating my opinion.

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

I'd rather have Parise.

 

[leafaholix*]

I'd rather have Parise.

I'm sure a lot of people would... especially after Pierre McGuire's verbal orgy during the broadcast of the 1st round and his great run in the WJC, well... prior to the two most important games atleast.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

You did?

I don't recall you saying anything positive about Steen...

"Parise is a better playmaker/scorer, better defensivly (allthough Steen is good), better leader. Heck Parise is just an allround better player... Parise has 1st line center, 70-80 point potential playing good two way hockey. Steen 50-60 two way 2nd line forward."​

... all you say is that Parise is better then Steen in every single category.


I honestly didn't mean he should be higher on that list... I meant that I'd be tempted to rank Steen, Mirnov, Perezhogin, and Grigorenko higher on my list... if I were to make one. I wouldn't rank them all higher then Parise, but higher then where most people expect them to be.


I actually have not said he was the better of the two... not once in this thread have I said he's the better of the two. But personally, I would take Steen over Parise... he's a more complete player. Another reason being because he's playing against men... in a man's league, and he's already a star. Steen's also a potential candidate for a roster spot on the Swedish 2004 World Championship team.


I've already said that Parise may be a better offensive player then Steen... a better scoring forward, but I feel Alexander Steen is a more complete player... and he's a safe prospect, so it's not really a concern whether or not he'll make the NHL, because he will.

EDIT: I don't want you to leave this thread... if you choose to, that's fine. This is what we call a conversation, if you are about to explode and flame me because I would rather have Steen then the all mighty Parise, then leave... I'm not being confrontational, just stating my opinion.

I still don't see how Steen is a more complete player then Parise. And how is 24 points in 48 games dominating at the age of 19/20. Berglund at the same age had 37 points in 49 games....look how dominant he is in the NHL.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

I'm sure a lot of people would... especially after Pierre McGuire's verbal orgy during the broadcast of the 1st round and his great run in the WJC, well... prior to the two most important games atleast.

So McGuire being an NHL coach doesn't have an upper advantage knowing more about prospects then us?

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

I'm sure a lot of people would... especially after Pierre McGuire's verbal orgy during the broadcast of the 1st round and his great run in the WJC, well... prior to the two most important games atleast.

If it comforts you to think my views were colored by Pierre McGuire, go ahead. I would chalk this to insecurity on your part.

 

[The List Of Jericho]

I did a list of the top 40 prospects that have been drafted already but haven't played a game in the NHL yet. No goalies were on the list, as I was asked to put this list together that way. I may be missing some, and there's a few that many won't agree with. I've seen a lot of them, but not all of them, so I had to go off what I know from talking to other writers here at HF, and a few pro scouts I've spoken with over the years.

I didn't type team or first names cause I'm lazy if you can't figure it out, ask. And I can't spell all that good either.


Top 40 Prospects

1. Kastsitsyn
2. Parise
3. Carter
4. Steen
5. Getzlaf
6. Suter
7. Grigorenko
8. Jukinen
9. Mirnov
10. Kahnberg
11. Perezhogin
12. Welch
13. Fehr
14. A. Stewart
15. Higgins
16. O'Sullivan
17. Nilsson
18. Doug Lynch
19. Kosmachev
20. Slater
21. Richards
22. Vanek
23. Coburn
24. Polushin
25. Eriksson
26. Shkotov
27. Jurcina
28. Ramholt
29. Evaes
30. Moyzakin
31. Boyle
32. Carle
33. Zakharov
34. Fleishman
35. Kanko
36. Bochenski
37. Gladskikh
38. Evaes
39. Plekanec
40. Jessiman

While im happy steen is in ur top 5 where is coliacovo on this list

 

[leafaholix*]

I still don't see how Steen is a more complete player then Parise. And how is 24 points in 48 games dominating at the age of 19/20. Berglund at the same age had 37 points in 49 games....look how dominant he is in the NHL.

Who said he dominated the Elite League?

Another thing... he was on pace for 50 points before being paired up with a tough guy and a role player... that resulted in a 22 games drought where he had only a couple points. Since that tough guy (Jens Karlsson) was moved, he went on to lead the playoffs in points.

 

[leafaholix*]

If it comforts you to think my views were colored by Pierre McGuire, go ahead. I would chalk this to insecurity on your part.

That wasn't directed at you, it was directed more towards those who just give Parise the nod because they've heard Pierre McGuire praise him.

 

[leafaholix*]

While im happy steen is in ur top 5 where is coliacovo on this list

Colaiacovo's played in the NHL... that list includes players that have not.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Who said he dominated the Elite League?

Another thing... he was on pace for 50 points before being paired up with a tough guy and a role player... that resulted in a 22 games drought where he had only a couple points. Since that tough guy (Jens Karlsson) was moved, he went on to lead the playoffs in points.

Parise has 14 points in 5 playoff games so far......edge Parise

 

[OFSY34]

Why isn't VOROS on this list? He'll be in Devils training camp come Sept and he'll stick, nobody has paid attention to him his whole career, IT'S TIME TO START.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Why isn't VOROS on this list? He'll be in Devils training camp come Sept and he'll stick, nobody has paid attention to him his whole career, IT'S TIME TO START.

Didn't have a great first period....messed up a couple rushes with Suglobov.

 

[MePutPuckInNet]

My point isn't that Parise isn't a great player... the point is that you say Parise is a better leader then Steen because most great leaders in the NHL are North American (like Zach). Then you say he's a better leader because his team's win... again, it's not like he's playing for average programs... he led Team USA to the Gold. It was a team effort, Alvaro Montoya had as much to do with that Gold medal as Zach Parise... if not more. Though I know your next post is going to include "Team USA won because of Parise"... and that's really not true considering Parise had 1 assist and 3 shots in the two most important games of the tournament... he was also a non factor against the Finnish squad dispite his 1 assist on Werner's goal (which Werner scored all by himself, carrying it over the blue line and firing it by Toivonen). Dominant players show up for key games... he was far from dominant in those games, and that is why he's overrated. Parise is considered a "can't miss" prospect... which is balogna. He's small and doesn't have the physical capabilities to compete against a Finnish team, nevermind men.

So....uhh....why isn't O'Sullivan higher on the list?

 

[OFSY34]

Didn't have a great first period....messed up a couple rushes with Suglobov.

Well when you have five days to learn Robbies systems it's difficult, they are very different from what he was taught at UAF.

Did have some good hits though, thats always a given.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Well when you have five days to learn Robbies systems it's difficult, they are very different from what he was taught at UAF.

Did have some good hits though, thats always a given.

I think he threw one hit

 

[leafaholix*]

Parise has 14 points in 5 playoff games so far......edge Parise

Wow, I never thought you'd go there.

Now you're comparing the NCAA to a Division 1 man's league in Sweden.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Wow, I never thought you'd go there.

Now you're comparing the NCAA to a Division 1 man's league in Sweden.

Well, you have to compare players some how......you make it look as if SEL is actually a strong league. 3rd strongest in europe if its lucky.

 

[leafaholix*]

Well, you have to compare players some how......you make it look as if SEL is actually a strong league. 3rd strongest in europe if its lucky.

It's a helluva lot stronger then the NCAA